Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Has Filler On The Way And That's Ok
"Filler". For many members of the anime community, anime-only material can sometimes be seen as a bane, with Naruto certainly being no stranger to the world of filler when it comes to its anime adaptation. Over the years, we've seen hundreds of fillers episodes arrive over the course of Naruto, Naruto: Shippuden, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations that have taken Team 7 into some outright bizarre territory and with the sequel series seemingly in for the long haul once again, we wanted to take the opportunity to assure viewers that it's all right if the anime diverges from the events of the manga...from time to time.
Boruto has seen some anime-only sequences and they've ranged from strange, such as the young ninja being a fan of lemon burgers, to necessary, in terms of giving viewers more scenes from Kawaki's past following his adoption by the Kara Organization. For the most part, the episodes that have been created for the anime have been worthwhile, giving us deeper looks into some of the characters that the manga hasn't and with a cast as big as Boruto's, it is definitely appreciated.
Of course, this is a scenario wherein the anime has to create original material since it has done such a good, and fast, job of reaching the current events of the manga, so the producers are somewhat left with two options. Either they could create stories to effectively replace what happens in the future of the manga or they can weave new stories of their own. With the next Arc apparently following the return of the Chunin Exams, it not only gives the next generation of the ninja world the opportunity to work toward progressing in their chosen occupation, but also gives them a much-needed breather following the deadly battle against Jigen and the Kara Organization.
At the end of the day, anime-only material can be ignored in cases such as Boruto for the most part but can also be considered canon for those who appreciate the stories that were told. It's a win-win across the board for fans of Konoha and while we wait for the manga to create some breathing room of its own, we look forward to seeing how the young ninjas react to the new Chunin Exams.
What do you think of the anime-only material created for Boruto: Naruto Next Generations so far? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Hidden Leaf Village.